Bihar is witnessing heightened political tensions as the state approaches the 2025 Assembly elections. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls is under scrutiny amid allegations of discrepancies, including the inclusion of deceased individuals and exclusion of living voters. Tejashwi Yadav, a leading RJD figure and son of Lalu Prasad Yadav, has claimed his name is missing from the draft voter list, despite completing the enumeration form. He voiced concerns about his ability to contest the elections. The Janata Dal (United) responded by accusing Tejashwi of misrepresenting the facts related to the voter list. Tejashwi, during a press conference, emphasized that his name was absent from the electoral roll and his EPIC number information was also not accessible. The Patna district administration clarified that his name is registered but with changes to his polling station and serial number. Tejashwi then expressed doubts about the integrity of the electoral process, suggesting potential manipulation. The JDU’s chief spokesperson labeled Tejashwi as a ‘political fraud.’ The Election Commission refuted Tejashwi’s claims, clarifying that his name is included in the draft electoral roll. The Election Commission stated Tejashwi’s name is listed at Serial Number 416. The draft electoral roll has been released. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is underway to review and verify the voter list, and objections can be submitted between August 1 and September 1, 2025. The ECI had last conducted an intensive revision in 2003. Voters can access their information on the ECI website.
